Donegal is one of Ireland’s least afforested counties according to the latest data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
Their Afforestation Report 2022 reveals that only 21 hectares of farmland were converted to forestry here last year, compared to 400 in Cork and 211 in Clare. Afforestation is the planting of trees on land not previously under forest.
In addition, Donegal also had one of the lowest afforested areas every year from 2007 to 2016, and from 2019 to 2022. The county afforested a high of 321 hectares in 2007, however, that figure decreased almost every year since then.
County Cork had the largest afforestation for the same period. Cork also accounted for 18% of the total afforested area in 2022 followed by Clare (9.3%), Galway (9.2%), and Roscommon (7.7%).
Niamh Shanahan is a Statistician in the Environment and Climate Division of the CSO.
“The report shows the area afforested (nationally) in 2022 was 2,273 hectares (ha) which was 33% of the area planted in 2007,” she explained.
“The area afforested in 2022 was a 13% increase on the area afforested in 2021. The proportion of broadleaf species planted in 2022 was 42% which is the highest share in the 2007-2022 series. The share of afforested area planted by farmers in 2022 was 23% which was an increase on their 2021 share of 18%, but a sharp decline from their 2014 share of 97%.”
Alder and Ash were the main broadleaf species planted during 2007 to 2013 while Alder and Birch were the main species from 2015 to 2022. Sitka Spruce was the dominant conifer species and comprised 85% of coniferous species in 2022.
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